#WomenCrushWednesday ~ BOSSMOM Aliyah

Women crush everyday of the week! To honor and share stories of women who are crushing it either on the body front or the mama front, I am featuring short interviews of women who are crushing it, hence the title #WomenCrushWednesday. So without further ado, let me introduce you to half of the founding pair of the awesome mom empowerment brand, BOSSMOM NATION, Aliyah!

How has your view of your body evolved over the years?

I have always been a slim girl, genetically. I never thought much about weight or what I ate. I can barely tell you what size clothes I used to wear. My bra size was so small, I didn’t wear a bra very often.

Fast forward to my late 20’s (about 28 or 29) and three children later, I noticed it. You know “it”. A little something extra to grab but not loving it. Needing larger sizes, consistently. Paying attention to the numbers on a scale. Repeatedly asking my husband for “still got it” confirmations.

I had to realize all that shit sucks. Big time! Now that I’m 33, I definitely care about my body but more of the “health” of my body. I associate a healthy body with fitness not just a skinny body. I don’t care to be skinny at all but I do want to be healthy, so I work hard at eating well. I want to be on the move without tiring, so working out is my thing too!

Motherhood has also brought on other body image changes. All hail the stretch marks! They didn’t really show up until my third child. I have them on my booty and on my tummy. It isn’t a major factor for me though because my 14 year old son would be mortified if I walked around in half tops anyway! Lol.

I breastfed during my pregnancy and it took my boyish chest into full voluptuous womanhood! I miss my boobs. I love every time I get a set. They are back pretty small now but I wouldn’t mind getting a pair of those again!

None of this stops me from loving my body. Besides the health of it, it is far from my primary concern. I’m blessed to have some scars to tell a story about!

How do you think women should feel about their bodies?

Your body is meant to be loved and cherished. Every woman should. Whatever you do to it, do it for yourself because you deserve it. Women should care about the health, flexibility and mobility of their bodies. Inside and out. That’s very important.

Sometimes it may be necessary to take a period of your life and get to know and love your body. Appreciate what it has gotten you through.

Why do you do what you do?

In regards to BOSSMOM NATION, I was tired of being referred to as a soccer mom as if ALL I did was stand on the sideline. My motherhood was amazing. The mothers I was surrounded by were amazing. They got shit done. Their mamahood was BOSS!

It’s important for my sanity to connect with these women and brag about them as well because, in my eyes, we’re all on the same team!

BOSSMOM NATION provides that and I’m proud to work hard to make sure this modern mother stays relevant and is appreciated!

Visit BOSSMOM NATION to join the awesome AF community of mothers Aliyah has nurtured. You can also follow her on Instagram: @aliyahmh and BOSSMOM NATION: @bossmomnation .